1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a low frequency medical device for performing a medical operation so as to stimulate muscles and nerves by applying a low frequency pulse to a human body, a method therefor, a device, a program which is used in the method, and a recording medium for recording the program.
2. Description of Related Art
Conventionally, a low frequency medical device has been known for purposes such as diet therapy, strengthening muscles, or curing pain or tension on an arm, a waist in human bodies by contracting muscles to which several electrodes are disposed so as to apply a low frequency electric current (see Japanese Unexamined Patent Applications No. 2003-10145 and No. 2002-345979).
In a case of such a low frequency medical device, an operator of a medical operation such as a doctor or a physical therapist consults with a user (patient) so as to determine necessary parameters for medical operations according to the use's condition and set the parameters in a medical device. For such parameters, it is possible to name a frequency for a low frequency pulse, a pulse width, and a time for the medical operation. The user bring back home a low frequency medical device in which the parameters are set so as to perform the medical operations at home. When the user activate the device under condition that electrodes of the device are disposed at predetermined positions on the user's body, the device is operated under a medical operation mode in which the predetermined parameters are effective.
After the predetermined medical operations are completed, the user visits the physical therapist or the doctor again. The physical therapist or the doctor asks predetermined questions to the user so as to evaluate the result for the medical operation according to the answers from the user. Consequently, the physical therapist or the doctor sets the parameters for the next medical operations according to the necessity.
Also, in a conventional low frequency medical device, a pulse generating circuit for generating a low frequency pulse is used according to a switching regulator method. FIG. 5A is a circuit diagram for showing an important portion of a conventional pulse generating circuit.
In FIG. 5A, for example, 10 kHz of a switching pulse is inputted into an input terminal 50 via a resistance R1 so as to switch a transistor Q1. Energy is stored in an inductance L from a power supply Vpp when the transistor Q1 is turned off. The stored electric energy is charged in a condenser C via a diode D when the transistor Q1 is turned off. The voltage in the condenser C increases in the above manner. Polarity of the increases output is switched in a circuit which is disposed in a rear stage such that a low frequency pulse can be obtained which has nearly 1 to 100 Hz of a bipolar rectangular waveform as shown in FIG. 5B.
However, in several cases in a conventional low frequency medical device, there have been problems below when the user responds to the questions by the physical therapist or the doctor. For example, the patient reports to the physical therapist or the doctor that the patient performed a medical operation at home even though the patient did not perform a medical operation actually. Also, the patient reports to the physical therapist or the doctor that the patient performed the medical operation at home according to the parameters which are set by physical therapist or the doctor even though the patient did not perform the medical operation according to the parameters which are different from the parameters which are determined by the physical therapist or the doctor. In other cases, the patient reports to the physical therapist or the doctor that the patient performed the medical operation at home according to the quantity and the time for the medical operation which are set by physical therapist or the doctor even though the patient did not perform the medical operation according to the above quantity and the time for the medical operation which are different from those which are determined by the physical therapist or the doctor.
Also, in a conventional pulse generating circuit according to a switching regulator method which is shown in FIG. 5A, there has been a problem in that it is not possible to obtain an output for increasing voltage which is not greater than the power supply voltage (for example, 12V). In a low frequency medical device, it is required that 1 to 45 V of output voltage must be adjusted by every 1 (one) V such that the output voltage should begin with 1V so as to avoid applying a high voltage to a human body instantly. It is not possible to obtain a voltage which is not greater than the power supply voltage Vpp in a circuit which is shown in FIG. 5A; thus, there has been a problem in that it is not possible to satisfy the above requirement.